2017–18 NBL Canada season

The 2017–18 NBL Canada season is the seventh season of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). The regular season ran November 18, 2017 to April 2, 2018.

2017–18 NBL Canada season
LeagueNational Basketball League of Canada
SportBasketball
DurationNovember 18, 2017 – April 2, 2018
Number of games40
Number of teams10
Total attendance400,811 (2,004 per game)
Draft
Top draft pick?
Picked by?
Regular Season
Top seedHalifax Hurricanes
Season MVP?
Top scorer?
Playoffs
Atlantic championsHalifax Hurricanes
Central championsLondon Lightning
Finals
ChampionsLondon Lightning
  Runners-upHalifax Hurricanes
Finals MVPGarrett Williamson

League changes

After two years as league commissioner, Dave Magley left the league to found North American Premier Basketball. He was replaced on an interim basis by London Lightning owner and league president Vito Frijia.

After years of league ownership, the Moncton Miracles were folded to make way for an expansion team under new ownership called the Moncton Magic.[1] The league also awarded expansion franchises in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador,[2] and Sudbury, Ontario. However, the Sudbury ownership group delayed their launch in the league until 2019.[3] The Orangeville A's folded in the Central Division, leaving the league with six teams in the Atlantic region and four in the Central. As a result, the new St. John's Edge were scheduled to play in the Central Division.[4]

Offseason coaching changes
  • The Cape Breton Highlanders hired longtime NBLC head coach Rob Spon away from the Saint John Riptide, replacing their fired inaugural head coach Dean Murray and the interim Ben Resner.
  • The Island Storm hired Tim Kendrick to replace longtime Storm head coach, Joe Salerno.
  • The London Lightning hired Keith Vassell, former Niagara College head coach and the interim head coach of the Niagara River Lions the previous season. During the 2017 playoffs, then-Lightning head coach Kyle Julius notified ownership he would not return for the following season.
  • The Moncton Magic hired Joe Salerno as its inaugural head coach. Salerno had coached the previous season for the Island Storm.
  • The Niagara River Lions hired Joe Raso as its permanent head coach after Grâce Lokole stepped down during the previous season and Keith Vassell coached the rest of the season.
  • The Saint John Riptide hired Nelson Terroba to replace Rob Spon.
  • The St. John's Edge hired Jeff Dunlap as its inaugural head coach.

Midseason coaching changes

Regular season

Standings as of 2 April 2018:[6]

Atlantic Division GP W L PCT GB Div
z — Halifax Hurricanes402812.700—21–8
x — Moncton Magic402317.575516–13
x — Saint John Riptide402020.500815–16
x — Island Storm401921.475915–16
Cape Breton Highlanders401327.325159–23
Central Division GP W L PCT GB Div
c — London Lightning402713.675—23–8
x — St. John's Edge402515.625220–11
x — Windsor Express402020.500716–14
x — Niagara River Lions401723.4251011–19
KW Titans40832.200196–23

Notes

  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the division playoffs
  • x – Clinched playoff spot

Attendance

As of games played 2 April 2018

Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 London Lightning 84,081 8,236 1,534 4,204 −19.3%†
2 St. John's Edge1 68,028 4,803 1,821 3,401 n/a†
3 Niagara River Lions 41,085 3,941 1,582 2,054 +17.2%†
4 Halifax Hurricanes 39,164 3,667 1,032 1,958 +1.7%†
5 Saint John Riptide 37,670 5,392 1,245 1,884 +1.5%†
6 Island Storm 37,503 3,111 1,454 1,875 −3.1%†
7 Cape Breton Highlanders 27,078 4,236 950 1,354 −8.2%†
8 KW Titans 25,289 2,768 563 1,264 −3.1%†
9 Moncton Magic 21,418 2,186 562 1,071 −30.0%†
10 Windsor Express 19,495 1,451 804 975 −5.7%†
League total 400,811 8,236 562 2,004 +9.4%†

Source:
Notes:
1: New team.

Playoffs
Division Semifinals Division Finals NBL Canada Finals
         
A1 Halifax 3
A4 Island 1
A1 Halifax 4
Atlantic Division
A2 Moncton 1
A2 Moncton 3
A3 Saint John 2
A1 Halifax 3
C1 London 4
C1 London 3
C4 Niagara 1
C1 London 4
Central Division
C2 St. John's 2
C2 St. John's 3
C3 Windsor 0

Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

Draft

The 2017–18 NBL Canada Draft and Combine was held on October 20–22. The St. John's Edge selected Aaron Williams first.[7]

Rnd. Pick Player Nationality Team School / club team
1 1 Aaron Williams  United States St. John's Edge Chicago State
1 2 Zachary Valliere  United States Island Storm Fitchburg State
1 3 Duke Mondy  United States Cape Breton Highlanders Oakland
1 4 Steven Toyloy  United States Moncton Magic Cincinnati
1 5 Matthew Hart  United States Niagara River Lions George Washington
1 6 Torrence Dyck  United States Island Storm Daemen College
1 7 Scottie McRae  United States Windsor Express Albany
1 8 Cleon Roberts  United States Saint John Riptide La Salle
1 9 Andrew Hayles  United States Windsor Express Alabama State
1 10 Shawn Amiker  United States Halifax Hurricanes Youngstown State
1 11 Bright Mensah  United States London Lightning William Paterson
2 12 Zach Gordon  United States St. John's Edge Cal Poly
2 13 Jean-Rony Cadot  Bahamas Windsor Express TCU
2 14 Damarcus Harrison  United States Cape Breton Highlanders Clemson
2 15 Willie Connor  United States KW Titans Buffalo
2 16 Robert Ukawuba  United States Windsor Express NJIT
2 17 Georges Serresse  Canada KW Titans Laurentian
2 18 Kyle Steward  United States Saint John Riptide UMKC
2 19 James Johnson  United States Windsor Express Culver–Stockton
2 20 Daryl Hunter  United States Halifax Hurricanes
2 21 Boyd Vassell  Canada London Lightning St. Mary's

Awards

Player of the Week award
For games
in week ending		 Atlantic Division Central Division
Player Team Player Team
November 27, 2017Gabe FreemanSaint John RiptideCarl EnglishSt. John's Edge
December 3, 2017Franklin SessionIsland StormCharles HinkleSt. John's Edge
December 10, 2017CJ WashingtonHalifax HurricanesSam MuldrowNiagara River Lions
December 17, 2017Terry ThomasMoncton MagicCharles Hinkle (2)St. John's Edge
December 24, 2017Duke MondyCape Breton HighlandersRyan AndersonLondon Lightning
December 31, 2017Antoine MasonHalifax HurricanesRoyce WhiteLondon Lightning
January 7, 2018Malcolm MillerSaint John RiptideMo BoldenLondon Lightning
January 14, 2018Gabe Freeman (2)Saint John RiptideRoyce White (2)London Lightning
January 21, 2018Bruce MasseyCape Breton HighlandersGuillaume BoucardNiagara River Lions
January 28, 2018Corey AllmondMoncton MagicLogan StutzWindsor Express
February 4, 2018Billy WhiteHalifax HurricanesDerek HallKW Titans
February 11, 2018Terry Thomas (2)Moncton MagicChad FrazierWindsor Express
February 18, 2018Billy White (2)Halifax HurricanesRyan Anderson (2)London Lightning
February 25, 2018Mike PooleHalifax HurricanesShaquille KeithWindsor Express
March 4, 2018Franklin Session (2)Island StormCarl English (2)St. John's Edge
March 11, 2018Corey Allmond (2)Moncton MagicKris JosephNiagara River Lions
March 18, 2018Du'Vaughn MaxwellIsland StormJaylon TateNiagara River Lions
March 25, 2018Antoine Mason (2)Halifax HurricanesLogan Stutz (2)Windsor Express
April 2, 2018Malcolm Miller (2)Saint John RiptideGarrett WilliamsonLondon Lightning

Coach of the Month award
Month Player Team
DecemberJeff DunlapSt. John's Edge
JanuaryKeith VassellLondon Lightning
FebruaryMike LeslieHalifax Hurricanes
MarchMike Leslie (2)Halifax Hurricanes

End-of-season awards

Source:[8]

References
  1. "Magic retires Miracles: Moncton welcomes new pro basketball team". CBC News. July 22, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2017.
  2. "What is St. John's getting into with NBL Canada? | The Telegram". www.thetelegram.com. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  3. "Sudbury Expansion team to start fall of 2018". NBLC. 1 August 2017. Archived from the original on 2017-08-03. Retrieved 2017-10-18.
  4. "St. John's Edge shows off jerseys ahead of pro-basketball debut". CBC News. Retrieved 17 October 2017.
  5. "KW TITANS RELEASE HEAD COACH SERGE LANGIS". KWTitans.com. 25 February 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2018.
  6. "2017–18 NBL Canada Standings". NBL Canada. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  7. "St. John's Edge look forward with draft picks". thetelegram.com. October 23, 2017. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  8. http://nblcanada.ca/sports/mbkb/2017-18/NBLC_Awards
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